Fox News was criticized by a congresswoman for their unfounded statement about actress Sydney Sweeney.
In a move that has sparked significant local resistance, President Trump has federally taken over the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) as of August 2025. The decision has led to protests, legal challenges, and official pushback from D.C. leadership.
The city's Attorney General sued to block the takeover, and a federal judge forced a partial compromise. MPD Chief Pamela Smith remains in command of the 3,100 officers, while the federal government's appointed emergency police commissioner, DEA head Terry Cole, is currently barred from issuing directives.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has strongly condemned the takeover, calling it "an authoritarian push" and emphasizing its unconstitutionality. Frequent protests with slogans such as "Trump must go" have broken out from Dupont Circle to the White House, accompanied by numerous arrests. Residents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including a stark decrease in usual vendor activity in neighborhoods like Columbia Heights.
The federal takeover also involved the deployment of National Guard troops, exacerbating tensions and raising concerns about public safety and abuses of power. Overall, the situation is marked by federal-local conflict, legal battles, ongoing protests, and a highly charged political environment in the nation's capital.
Meanwhile, in the world of politics, a discussion about actress Sydney Sweeney's ad has been a hot topic. Kellyanne Conway, a prominent Trump supporter, said, "Up next! Another Sydney Sweeney ad is causing panic on the left." This statement was posted on Twitter by @Acyn on August 9, 2025.
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland wrote that Trump's federal takeover of the Washington, D.C. police department is part of a growing national crisis. He also criticised the move as an assault on freedom and a play to push democracy to the brink.
Yassamin Ansari, the youngest woman in Congress, responded to Kellyanne Conway's statement about the Sydney Sweeney ad, and her response went viral. The discussion about the ad has been ongoing for approximately 72 days, with nearly three-quarters of critical posts about Sweeney or the ad having fewer than 500 views. Fox News covered the discussion and featured a clip of Kellyanne Conway.
However, the discourse was amplified by right-wing media, driving more attention to it. Many pro-Trump users also amplified critical posts, further fuelling the debate. The New York Times reported on this development.
As the events unfold, the actions of President Trump are being closely watched to see what happens next. The federal takeover of the MPD and the ongoing discussion about the Sydney Sweeney ad continue to dominate headlines, reflecting the polarised political climate in the United States.
[1] New York Times, "Washington, D.C. Faces Federal Takeover of Police Department," August 10, 2025. [2] Washington Post, "Protests Erupt in Washington, D.C. Over Federal Takeover of Police Department," August 11, 2025.
Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding actress Sydney Sweeney's ad, the discourse has been eclipsed by the significant events taking place in Washington D.C., with the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) being a major talking point in the general-news and crime-and-justice sectors. The timely political event has resulted in tense relations between federal and local authorities, civil unrest, and legal battles, as reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post.